RAK Half Marathon 2016
“Thank you - I did this race to challenge myself I am not the fittest person but I wanted to prove I could do it. Also as I will be leaving the UAE soon I thought it would be a great idea to close this chapter of my life with something big. It was hard but I met great people along the race and so many people cheered me up including police staff, kids, I never felt alone. Thanks very much for your people at water station amazing people.”
“The best road race in the UAE - Just a brilliant half marathon. The only small improvement to the excellent organisation, will be better tagging of the event photos against each runner. That minor point aside, it is brilliant. Looking forward to improving on my PB there in 2017!”
“Great race - One of my favorite races”
“Awesome event! - Loved participating in this race..looking forward to the next edition already.”
“Great execution of a running event! - Everything was top notch for this event from the registration to medals. ”
“Well worth the long trip from Norway! - Big 10 was great fun, but the prizes could have been drawn in advance. Few people stayed until the event anyway - many did not understand what this was about - could have been better promoted in advance. With such a big representation of overseas runners, the generous non-cash prizes could be more relevant for them. Main impression a fantastic race with helpful and serviceminded people. I speak from experience after running in 38 different countries and more than 200 half marathons!”
“Excellent event to participate - Everything about the event is good except for the parking space, 2 years back parking close to the race village was free, this year it was converted to VIP parking and charged, that was a disappointment.”
“A wonderfully organised season finisher - Can increase the runner numbers, so that there could be a great crowd - with the demand RAK HM pulls, the numbers can be 5,000. However, organisers could seek feedback to probe such a high 'DNS', when so many do not get to register. Could allow transfer of registration also. Great event, everybody loves this race, better than any of the top rated events (do not want to mention names). I would always have time for this.”
“Very well organized event! - Only bad thing is that, photos from finishing line could be better, maybe multiple cameras hanging ”
“Fairly well organized - The zig-zag ways could have been avoided. The Big Ten Prize Draw was not well organized, e.g. I got an Executive Health Check Up in RAK, which is definitely not worth AED 10000, and I live in Dubai. Going to RAK is a burden for me. So, it is of no use to me. All raffle draw winners should be given cash prize, the prizes from sponsors are not useful to the winners.”
“Excellant Event - The event was excellant and changing the rout little bit was much better as we run less in the industrial area with labour standing on the side of the roads and it give us more time to run on the corniche. the giveaways were good but they were handed without a bag, so we suffered carrying everything in our hands at the finish line.”
“Great fun event, see you next year - Choose your hotel carefully as the road closures down town can frustrate you a little. ”
“Amazing organizing...world class!!! - The RAK Half Marathon is the best organized event I've ever entered. The pre-race communication is amazing, the build-up, the event, the race...all absolutely epic. Other than the bus service (can we pls get there by 6am and can we pls not have to queue 10+ minutes with the cars) everything was absolutely perfect! I will be back every year and it is the highlight of my race calendar. The whole family comes and we spend a 3-day long weekend in RAK and we had a great time again. Thank you RAK Half”
“Very Satisfied - I was very HAPPY and SATISFIED for the event, It was my first time and I wasn't expecting how Organize the event is, I will definitetely recommend it to my friends. Thanks to the People behind the event , more power to you all and more RUNS in the future and hopefully I will be a lucky winner for the draws next time ( just kidding )”
“Great - After frankfurt marathon one of the best event i have participeted wishing very best of luck organizers for more great event next year”
“It is a great event and thanks to orgnizers - There is no care about the winners' categories. Many winners left the event because nobody told they won”
“Just OK (compared to other UAE events) - Expected more for a 10th anniversary. Ironman & Challenge (Triathlons) must spoil me because they have a far better race experience.”
“Great race, fun day, awesome prizes - Greatly organized event! Was great day, well marked route, good support. Only thing I'll add, is the timing flag-carriers, if you want to run a certain time they act as pacemakers.”
“Another excellent RAK HM - No complaints at all. Excellent event”
“Fantastic - RAK really turned it on for this event. Fabulous event, fabulous city! ”
“Good event. - No individual photo for all finishers and less photos during the race. Mostly for top finishers and awarding only.”
“Simply the Best Race in UAE - I'd say this is the best race I've experienced here in UAE. This was my 3rd year in a row and it gets better and better every year. Every second is exciting from start to finish! Big thanks to all the volunteers in the water stations and to support crew along the way. ”
“Another successful year - Well organised. was wondering why the course cant be moved to the area along side the beach ”
“An event I will attend again. - I would suggest better medal, photo service, and giveaways.”
“Amazing as usual!! - Requested a day off on the date just to be part of it...and will do the same next year....for sure!!! :) The organization of the event is one of a kind!! Everything works properly...not even one shortfall!! ”
“Fun! - Where can the event photos be found?”
“It keeps improving every year! - Well thought and organised race. Bringing back more and more runners every year! I have been running from the inagural one, with only some injuries stopping me form participating in between. The RAK Half M is unique in its own!!”
“Excellent event! - Well organised friendly atmosphere, helpful staff, marshals and crew. Thank you for your time & effort, & all the behind the scenes hours & planning that went into making this a great race event. I look forward to running it again next year! My low scoring on the event photo service was because there are either no photo's of myself or my team members, or I have not yet received a notification that photographs are available. It does however not detract from my impression of this great morning!”
“I completed it in 1 hour 50 minutes annd 46 second - It was fun and I am happy to part of it again”
“RAK is my Signature event,want to do 25 times - RAK is an event , i would like to keep to my heart.i did my first long run in 2012 with a time of 2hr 43min with lots of walking and some running.....in 2016, i did a 1:45:31...a great achievement for me; i love RAK run; course, people, arrangements and everything....i want to have 25 RAK HM medals in my stand...Insha Allah ”
“Superb organisation and course - A slight disappointment was on the punctuality and service of the event bus between hotel and race venue. The bus did not turn up at RAK Hotel as per the schedule at 5:40am instead it came at 6:15am. The bus driver set a limit of min 30 passengers for transport back to hotel after the end of event at around 12pm.”
“Good race and enjoyed it for a first timer ! - Should give final time on net not gross .. As it took me almost 3mins to get to the start line since it was a super busy race ..,. But overall I really enjoyed it for a first timer .. Thank you for such opportunity ..”
“Another outstanding RAK Half - Thank you for an exceptionally well managed and co-ordinated event. This race gets better and better. Marvellous experience, can't wait to come back next year. Thank you to all the teams and individuals involved in making this a great morning.”
“Overall - Overall I enjoyed the event. Only in the photos. I was only able to download one piece of photo of mine in the race.”
“Great Race - Great communication and answered all questions that I had”
“Another well planned event - I participated in the RAK half four times and am already planning for 2017.”
“Well organized event - Please include prizes for GCC runners. This year no energy drink on the water station!!!”
“Excellent half marathon - Really enjoyed it. Good pre race communications. Signs to running village were poor. Start was not well organized. No groupings, so very slow runners/walkers were in front of you when you started running. ”
“My favorite run! - Fabulous run and location, great communication leading up to the run and throughout the race.”
“Pleasant, Green, Fabulous - Still not got my photos, after 3 days.”
“Well organised anand executed. - Toilet facilities very good. Good atmosphere and give aways this year were great. ”
“AWESOME EVENT AND RUNNERS - I had a wonderful time experiencing my first even half marathon. It was a great achievement and accomplishment. The course was beautiful . I loved the fact that every corner there were police around ... they were cheering for us and supported us a lot ! So Salute to them ... :) I wish the medal was more in bronze or gold plated . Even though the design was awesome . Also , the shirt's logo RAK Half Marathon was big at the back just like race back pack had. Overall it was awesome!!”
“Keeps getting better! - This is a highlight on the UAE running calendar and a must do race, the organization puts a few others to shame and the vibe at the finish is great! ”
“A good enjoyable run - A good event have a shade for the stands ”
“Its just the best! - Should improve post race refreshment.”
“Pre /Post event were mismanaged / miscommunicated - - I had paid for package to be mailed and it failed to do so. I received an apology email. - The chip couldnt be rented on the day & I receive an apology email about it, got worried cos i had paid for the chip & wasn't understanding, so didn't know what to do, then I find the chip in my pack. - the photos sent after event were not me. Only 2 of the same photo were me. Can't find more. - the race itself was excellently organized & managed. Great job for that. -Bus not well organized ”
“A well organised good day out - Overall I thought it was an excellent event and enjoyed the race very much. The only down sides were insignificant on the grand scale. 1, a glitch with the text message timings, 2, some method needed to encourage runners to throw their water bottle aside rather than on the road for the runners behind to weave and dodge, 3, Costa coffee in the athletes village did not honour their own costa voucher. ”
“AWESOME Race, my very first time, But not my last - I completely enjoyed participating in this race. The RAK 10th Anniversary Half Marathon was my very first distance race. I have done several 5K races but never felt I could actually complete a Half Marathon. Now I’m looking forward to training for my next Half Marathon and hopefully one day a FULL Marathon (26.2). YEAH!!!”
“Amazing!!! - Good job premier. Keep it up! ”
“Excellent course I got a PB - Love this years medal, being able to put the stickers onto it with your race time is a really good idea. ”
“Average - I live in US and participated in several half marathons. Wanted to experience a good run. Unfortunately, RAK started too late(typically marathons/half marathons start early in USA so that it can be finished before it is too hot). It got too hot around 8.45 and unbearably hot. Wish it started early( at least by 6.15 am ) Almost fainted since it was too hot.”
“Excellen! - Fantastic event!”
“Nice event - RAK Half is a must running evening in UAE. Great route, great environment and atmosphere. ”
“Enjoyable with some areas to improve - Overall, quite well organized. Only a few notes to make. 1) The q for bag drop-off (due to security check) and cert collections were way too long. 2) Energy drinks can be added at support stations. 3) Rank based on NET time please, instead of Gross. 4) the GPS on both my mobile app and watch showed around 200m longer at the finish line. 5) Received digital photos on the same day, but none of them belongs to me.”
“It just keeps getting better!!!! - A BIG THANK YOU to all the event organizers and especially the volunteers. Every year, there is improvement and its so well organised. From Pre to Post race the information keeps flowing and keeping you informed. Great event, love everything about it. Well done again. ”
“Fantastic event, always worth to go! - Fantastic event, but I would prefer the pasta party taking place in the tent at the start area again...”
“A very well organised event - The event exceeded my expectations. This was the first time I was running 21k and the services provided was outstanding. Hats off!”
“World Class - Faultless job. When are you going to be asked to organize Dubai marathon?”
“It was fablous event we enjoyed a lot!!! - Very good organized and lot of new stuff they brought in this year specially BIG TEN surprises were great. RAK Half Marathon#The Best#Great Leadership #Premier Management#As they knows the way#Goes the way#Shows the way!!!”
“Great experience - Great experience Well organized Nice Giveaways and surprising Need more photos (only got one)”
“I had a great experience,looking forward next year - There should be roving medics during the event to check if the runners are good.”
“Once again a great Run worth the efforts to drive - Will look forward to the event again. Good weather all the way to finish. The small change in the route was an excellent idea, most run was in the shade. The start was little bit confusing didn't realize the Run had started. No stage was seen by the Start-End for the dignitaries and the HH that adds to the excitement with the National Band performing. Thank you for the Team that worked hard for this successive Run. Looking forward to the Run again.”
“Best and most professionally organized event - Once again, a very professionally planned event. well organized and very please overall. Only gripe i have is with an event administrator at the official desk in the foyer of the Hilton Double tree Hotel. She needs lessons in courtesy and patience in dealing with runners enquiries. I would have scored the 'pre-event comm's' as excellent if it wasn't for this impolite administrator. ”
“Thanks - Please make the ranking based on the net time not the gross time”
“Great even, really enjoyed it - I suggest an energy drink station at 18K mark, and a vendor that sells Gu on the day.”
“Very well organised - Very well organised, professionally run event. Results were almost instant, and my net time was correct but some of my splits were very wrong so I don't know what happened there. My friend was emailed photos of herself within an hour of finishing, which is amazing, but I still haven't received any 3 days later so that's disappointing. The daily emails in the run up to the event were a bit annoying. And not one of them had a reminder of the start time - we thought it was 7:30 and missed it.”
“Memorable Experience!! - It's Official I am now a Half Marathon Finisher!!! Thanks to the organizers... it was perfect except for the missing bar of Snickers that I have been wanting to get at the finished line :-)”
“Excellent job, great team work from the organisers - Looking forward to yet another one.....keep running.”
“Well organised - Was a bit disappointed in the end not to receive the Magnet, because apparently, they had run out. I put up these magnets very proudly as I have since last year. Would be better if you sent them with the pre race packs. Otherwise, very well done event.”
“Great Job! - Medal design could have been better.”
“Awesome event. Will do again! - It was a lot of fun, well organised and great giveaways. ”
“The best half marathon - The best Half marathon ”
“Awesome and enjoyable - A highlight of the year and so well organized-congratulations to the organizers and all those involved in making this event possible. ”
“Fantastic race - This race has everything from pre-race to post race. Its always been a good race but each year they seem to find ways to make it better. I especially loved the medal this year with the ability to put your final time on and use it as a fridge magnet. I hope the other races follow your lead. Social media presence and other communication channels are outstanding. The actual race is very good and was especially special for me as I smashed my PB. ”
“Was the best - Extremely well organized - great value for money, give-aways, route, people, crowd, marshaling, police and emergency services, start and finish easily accessible, plenty parking.”
“Great experience wonderfully organized - The event is really well organized, from the signal boards and indication of where to park, the race organization, the RAK police was extremely supportive and helpful, the course was really nice and the marshals very effective. I extremely appreciate the photo service, actually I think is one of the best pics of myself! Thanks RAK Half Marathon organizers you did an amazing work!”
“Amazing race! - - Super organized race - Package sent by courier, no trouble of getting it ourselves - bags scanned at security - easy to drop off and pick up bag - easy to receive medal & certificate - clear signage Overall it was an amazing experience... so organized and fun! ”
“Enjoyable race, well organised - A lot of effort went into preparing for this race, it was well run and the marshaling and water stations were well provided for. Good job!”
“Very good race - Love this race the only thing I would change is pre event communication. Way too many emails and texts. and will be back. ”
“Awesome - Great event. Big thank you to the organizers and the volunteers. I'm looking forward to next year already !!!!”
“RAK half - Very nice day out”
“Very well organised, top security, efficient - This was my first RAK half marathon and I would definitely participate again. I liked the clear 1 km stations. I noted that the security measures were also very high, great job well done”
“Overall Superb event - Possibly too much communication by e-mail”
“Good Event - More Wayfinding Needed - Overall this was a really enjoyable event. The only thing I would say is that the event needed WAY more wayfinders/volunteers to direct people arriving at the race and again at the end of the race as this was pretty poor.”
“An event from Runners for Runners! - A really outstanding event with everything runners require. Superbly organized , they really go the extra mile with customizable medals, snacks, great photos for free and even the T-shirt is actually good for running!”
“Was good organized , hope to get integrity - Hope to hold ceremonies till after cut out time to be in present of all runners , the rout to where you celebrate (big ten) for the runners was a bit difficult not clear , there was no sign to guide us there from back side ”
“Fantastic - Excellent organisation, great communications and a great atmosphere. By far the best half marathon I have participated in. After my previous half marathon I was all but ready to quit running altogether but RAK reignited my passion for running and I have a lot to thank them for :-)”
“The event is more than the run... - The run was great and organisers did a great job however the finish line was a little disorganised so many runners didnt get all their free / necessary items (like electrolyte drinks) at the finish before being ushered out to the race village - myself included. The big ten after was as much fun as the race but I was bordering on heat stroke from the lack of shade. it made recovery after the race a lot more difficult. ”
“Excellent event. Well organised & good service. - I am extremely satisfied with the event. I am very happy with the support from staff. I was feeling dizziness after the event near raffle draw. I was immediately assisted by medical team which helped to recover me immediately. Team were very cooperative.”
“A fun introduction to the world of marathons - This was my first half marathon and it has definitely made an impression. Not only will I participate again next year, but I am now looking at other similar events. Extremely well organised and accessible for the novice runner. I would definitely recommend this to people wanting to more their running ambitions on. ”
“Well organised, great fun - Really enjoyed this run. Pre-event communications is second to none and on-site is good too. The route is not as 'beautiful' as I was anticipating and there are many Km's with no supporters or marshals, but overall its a great day out.”
“A HM not to be missed! World Class Organization! - Keep outperforming yourself every year! Simply put, hands down best organization down to every single detail in all UAE races. Just to name a few: free photo service, amazing unique medal, nice flat course, shower facilities, lots of parking in mall, numerous support stations, volunteers wearing hygienic gloves, UPS race pack delivery, SMS timing notification, certificate printing center, online video streaming, email communications.. A+ in all the above. Keep up the good job! See you in 2017!”
“It was a good race - One thing to note at the water station please do not remove caps from bottles :) some people would love to keep it a bit longer. Other thing is reporting gross time. Since no one is rushing to the start line to make start pleasant why do you report gross time as more imoportant than net ?”
“Great event overall! - I had so much fun! The event is very professional and well-organized. The only thing that disappointed me was the bus transportation from Dubai to RAK. We got in about 25-30 minutes later than the packet said we would. So, that caused a bit of a rush. But I still highly recommend this run! :D”
“Very well organized - One of my favorites”
“I will do again - Maybe a nice medal design. but still good ”
“Successful event! Thank you! - It will be more fun for the runners and for the family and friends watching to have bleachers in both side of finish line area.”
“I have fun running the RAK half marathon - I have fun running the RAK half marathon il definitely do it again next year ”
“Great Race - What an enjoyable race. Thank you to all the organisers that really worked hard behind the scenes to bring the best possible to all participants.”
“Good race, good organisation.... - Overall would have to say "well done!" In particular the police at one of the roundabouts were fantastic!! They turned the sirens of their vehicle on and cheered the runners, great boost to morale... Many thanks to them :-) Only downside was bus from hotel and back... Ours was over 20minutes late leaving the hotel which meant we had quite a rush to get to the start line. Also had to go find the driver to get back to hotel.”
“Exhilarating - Organise better activity for those who accompany the runners to cheer them. They are left waiting for a couple of hours.”
“Excellent race - Everything was very well organised and extremely quick course”
“Great event - Thanks for yet another awesome RAK Half. I can't fault it in any way. I wish the organisers would organise a full marathon (separate date to the existing half). We all want an alternative to the boring and expensive Dubai Marathon!”
“Good Event - As always, the best managed event in the UAE. This race is always well supported and goes off without a hitch. Overall, race was very good and I will be doing again. ”
“RAK HALF MARATHON 2016 Organizer/sponsors, GOODJOB - Commemorative back pack nextime is excellent”
“Over all a good event - Its a good event, however the new stuff like calling BIB number & there was no room for walking & expressing our numbers ... If that bit was organised many people who were there & their numbers called could have been winners than calling alternative numbers ...”
“Excellent as usual - One suggestion. When we finish the race we get a towel, banana, drink etc. etc. which is great - a small bag to put it all in would make carrying it a bit easier.”
“Happy birthday! - Great to be a part of the 10th anniversary celebrations for the RAK Half Marathon. Perfect weather conditions on Friday and if not the perfect time, really enjoyed the event. Have competed in a number of other Half Marathons in Australia over the years and the organisation of the RAK Half is right up there with my favourite Australian event. So well done to everyone on a great achievement of 10 years and may there be many more. Congratulations. Also, special shout out to the MC! More music pls.”
“Beautiful sports day - I found it amazingly organized. For such a huge event, all was smoothly running, waiting cues were quick, certificates were printed on the spot. Small little issues: last stations of water after km 14 didn't have any sweet beverages. Timings in and were wrong (but they apologized afterwards). Overall a great event and (almost) impeccable organized!”
“Great event and course - First time participant, enjoyed the challenge and meeting so many runners.”
“Best in UAE - We didn't participate in many organized events in UAE because usually they are poorly organized and overcrowded with people who cannot run and make artificial crowd for the first 5km Max. This event was so different! I was really impressed with the communications and how well prepared the event was. It was excellent for first timers as they explained exactly what to expect, how things work, where to go etc. The medals and giveaways were awesome! I loved the event!”
“Awesome event - One of the best races in the country! Thanks to all the organisers and marshals. ”
“AMAZING - This is my favourite race in the UAE - so well organised; beautiful course.”
“Good job - The only thing We re waiting the bus at Hilton double tree at 0545 and we were informed that the bus didnt come and we went by walk Do u know what happened w the bus?”
“A Great Event. - Thanks to all the organisers, really well put together. One moan is the photos, I was sent around 5-6 photos and only 1 was of me ”
“Great event - Well organized event.”
“Really fun atmosphere. - Loved the raffle at the end!”
“Good - Well organized keep it up i'm happy. ”
“Good event but few possible improvements - Three points. 1) I think organisers should ensure that participants know to wear the timing chips on their ankles. 2) More explanation should be given at the start as to which runners should be at the starting line at a particular time. Its a bit disorganised. 3) after the event, there were too many single men clearly unrelated to the event milling around starting at women and young females. It spoils the otherwise very enjoyable event. ”
“Best birthday gift to my self! - I'm happy to celebrate my birthday in exact date of the event! a new life achievement in my side and new experience, I wish next year I can run healthy and in good condition no more injuries, so that I can train properly and prepared to next year event, and beat my personal record”
“Chip Code - Among all the positives, one small negative was the issue of the chip code. I lost my chip code from last year, and while I was happy to pay for a replacement, I found that the cost of a new replacement chip code was more than the cost of the chip code if bought as a newbie. I didn't think this was fair.”
“Perfect Event.. Highly recommended - Since this is a long distance run, It is recommended to have support stations with energy snacks (e.g. Banana) at the halfway point. ”
“Excellent event - Thanks Organizing team for an excellent event in all aspects. Enjoyed the run well. Looking forward next event.”
“Nice - Did not get the marathon pictures on email!!!!”
“Very good i comming agin - I can Tell my Friends about this Event it's good”
“Great event, very much look forward to the next - Thoroughly enjoyed the event, very well organized from start to finish, great communication throughout. I would certainly recommend this run. What is great is that it is still relatively small in numbers so it has that friendly, intimate atmosphere the larger half / full marathons have lost. It would be a though to include disabled athletes in this too!! Please give this some thought. ...When will the race photos be available??”
“My first RAK half - I was looking forward to this as it is billed as fastest half marathon in the world. Although it wasn't a PB for me, it was close to it. Some interesting text messages with some fantastic times - due to technique glitch - from clip timing. Online service was more realistic of my achievement. Disappointed none of the photos actually had me in them. Thank you to the all the organisers and marshals on the day. ”
“The road run event of the year - There is no other road race I enjoy participating in more. Every aspect of the race and the ongoing enthusiasm of the organisers make this a very special event to look forward to every year. ”
“Awesome a always! - Awesome race. Well done to the organizers, helpers and supporters. Good to take part in an event with such a great diversity.”
“ A GREAT HALF MARATHON - WONDERFUL EVENT AND GREAT PLEASURE TO BE PART OF THIS EVENT....WAITING FOR NEXT YEAR ”
“Excellent event - Well organised, professional and well marshalled - thank you”
“Had a great time - Excellent event from start to finish - exceeding expectations! Loved the pre and post race atmosphere and the support on the course was perfect. Thanks to all involved. Looking forward to 2017 !”
“Excellent organization. Great course - Fantastic all round”
“Great Event - Amazing event, especially this year. Looking forward to next year event Thanks to the Organizers Vithal”
“Thank you, RAK! - I've managed my best time ever - 2h and 40 minutes! I'm really proud of myself! And this is also mostly due to the beauty of this race! I really hope to get an ever better time next year!”
“Gets better each year - Suggest better traffic marshaling for parking as many people lack the discipline/courtesy to queue for car parking”
“Very organize - Just add more areas where runners can rest afterwards :)”
“Great event - Overall great help to help me improve my times. Will definitely participate again”
“We enjoy it and like it - TKS for the service ”
“Excellent, well organised race event. - Fantastic event. Excellent pre race communication and race pack distribution. Race was well marshalled, with clear distance markers and more than enough water stops. Big 10 post race added a bit off fun as well as some nice prizes for some lucky runners. Overall a great race experience....well done!!”
“Memorable - I love this race as I get the chance to improve my personal records. I also love the fact that there are catogories so young people such as my daughter get the chance to win something. In general the route was great however I would of liked it more if there was more music and cheering along the way to encourage me to go faster. ”
“Felt good to participate - Post event program - lucky 10 prizes should have been arranged in shaded area considering that most of us had finished a tiring event. ”
“Excellent organisation - great event world leader - Key areas for improvement - for buses should have a separate lane into car park, long queues for bag drop and pick up, certificate pick up another queue. Photos sent didn't have any picture that was clear and usable - perhaps two -photographers at finish line. Well done as a whole.”
“Fantastic organisation - Great event as usual, with fantastic organisation by all and great giveaways. Only small issue - once you crossed the finish line, and got your medal, water, etc. you couldn't get back into that small area to get water again. Massive thank you to the volunteers and to everyone involved in making this one of the best races to attend in the UAE.”
“Amazing course and very well organized event - I would definitely join again to been my record. However, I was not able to view or either received a link where i can view/download my photos. ”
“Thank you! :) - Thank you RAK Marathon for making my 1st Half Marathon such a fun experience! Everything was very well organized and it was a very challenging yet an enjoyable experience. :) The photos could be improved a bit (I received 10 but I was in the photo only once). Overall, it was a success and something I will not forget! Thank you again! .. and see you next year! :)”
“Great event! - Great event, lots of organization and good communication. My only complaint was the bus did not pick up the people from the Double Tree Hilton. I don't know what happened. We walked which was not far at all but if we had been further it would have been very stressful. ”
“Another fantastic RAK Half Marathon - Great event. Third year of running this and I will be back. Its a great race.”
“Greta event - Will definitely participate again”
“A well organised event - Thank you for yet another well organised, excellent event. There may have been a few glitches as some people pointed out, but when organising an event of this magnitude there are bound to be a few here and there. One just hopes it isn't a major one when it does happen. Some of those lucky guys (some more than the other among the 10) winning prizes worth more than the winner gets in most of the other races here in the region, & that for just showing up & completing it. Fabulous. Keep it up guys. ”
“Fantastic experience, I will be back next year - If I may make one suggestion which could have been better is that there were 2 things given at the end of the race that could have been included in the race pack. They were the timing packs given at the end which inconvenienced the runners who were alreay carrying a bot of water, banana, towel and a Snickers may be. Those items could have been included in the race pack easily. However, the timing and the stickers to be pasted on the medal was a brilliant idea. Well done for a super race day.”
“Great race - The race itself was great and very competitive... great organization overall as expected. two problems: 1- Baggage drop slow 2-This is a big one for me as it cost me the race: we took the Abu Dhabi bus, leaving at 2:30. Driver was clueless , drove at around 75km/hour! Bus arrived RAK at 6:10am, but got stuck at parking entrance traffic for 22mins. OFFICIAL BUS SHOULD HAVE A SEPARATE ENTRY POINT TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING!!!! Disaster! no time to use the bathroom - enough said !!!! ”
“Another wonderful RAK run - Thanks for another wonderful race this year. The volunteers were smiling and encouraging. Thank you especially for adding time clocks along the route - nice for those of us who don't like running with a watch. RAK sets the standard for race organization that the other races aspire to. Simply the best! ”
“Great experience - great organization - Pros - Smooth overall experience, simple to follow instructions, great communication via emails, everything marked appropriately, amazing aid stations support, race village Cons - Longer distance for no reason (24,250m), incorrect timing (my official time is not a gross time, but net), no email with photos even though system is saying email was sent. ”
“Awesome Event - Really good event. Well organised, fast course. Thoroughly enjoyed the day. Well done guys”
“Loved it - I loved running the RAK half Marathon 2nd time. Everything was perfect.”
“Great Race - The event was very well organised. Bathrooms was always clean. The queue at the baggage drop was very long! The support stations were friendly and well stocked with water. It was a great event! The entry fee is high compared to similar races in other countries.”
“If you're after a PB, then the RAK Half is for you - Phenominal organisation and race communication. No excuses in this event to not know what's going on. Let's get the race ratings to a 10 shall we for their 10th anniversary.”
“Enjoyed it - Thanks see you next year”
“Great Event - This was my first half marathon and it was extremely well organized and a really fun time. Thanks!”
“Awesome! - First timer! Awesome experience with you guys! I made it with great time for first half marathoner! ”
“Pulled it off again! - Buzz in the Athlete's Village seemed even better than previous years - perhaps it was the anniversary! Gave the baggage drop a miss because of the queue, but with all the parking close by it was easy just to stick it the car. Post event giveaways were a nice touch and I'm not just saying that because I won a spot prize! I see that some 'celebrity' organizers had been drafted in from Abu Dhabi and Madrid! Clearly paid off and many thanks to everyone who made this a great day out.”
“Perfectly organized race - Again a perfectly organized race. Many thanks to all the volunteers and especially the RAK hospital team that took well care of me and my painful legs after the race. ”
“Great event and Well done!!! - First Half Marathon and loved it!Loved the email update service and photos. You should be proud of the event. Will definitely be back!”
“Great event - So well organised, always a pleasure to participate in this one. A couple of suggestions - where were those nice folks with the magic spray after the event? A massage service would be popular too. And those companies with energy bars and gels would have made a killing in the race village before the start... But these things are just icing on the cake! ”
“Superbly organised, so many neat touches - Brilliantly organized, and so much attention to detail to make it a special event for the runners. Congratulations to everyone involved.”
“Well organized, great route, frequent updates. - Sweets, chocos or dates at the water stations to energize the struggling runners like myself halfway through the race.”
“Great event overall - Really great event - well organized. Wish there were a few more pics form the race!”
“Great Event - Very well organised, fast course, very enjoyable experience!”
“Very nice run - Nice run and route, problems with race timing let the event down.”
“Super nice race! - Not only the fastest half marathon in the world also the best half marathon of all in the world!!! ”
“Good day out - Fantastic event - definitely the 2nd best Half Marathon in the UAE! Thanks”
“Well organised event. Really enjoyed the race. I w - Photo download option was not clear and I am little disappointed with the same. I could not down load my photos yet.”
“Well organised event - The only grouse was with the bus service post the race..Our driver for the bus back to Dubai was a) very slow and b) didn't know how to get back to Irish Village..he went around twice, couldn't take a U-turn and finally dropped us across the street a good 500m away..we had to walk across, climbthe steps of the overhead crossing and get over after running a gruelling 21k..not the most ideal..this was the 2nd bus the 11.30am departure..”
“Well organised and run event! Thank you! - The event was really well organised, well signed, the emails before hand were very informative and the Facebook page was great at keeping me up to date with everything. The water stations were great and everything went smoothly through the race. My first half marathon and I thoroughly enjoyed it!! ”
“Done 49, this is probably best organised! - Excellent race, thanks again for supporting local running community.”
“Eager to run for RAK half marathon 2017 - Everything is perfect-shower, after run recovery food, towels, medals, free photo download & more. Thanks to everyone RAK Half Marathon organizers and sponsors. See you very soon next year!”
“Great Route - My first half marathon and a great run indeed. A lot of information was provided prior to the race. The race itself had a scenic route through RAK. Every thing was very well organized from the race village to collection of certificates. ”
“Well directed event, worth the registration - Despite some issues with the event Facebook coordinator the event remains a regional best. The course isn't fantastic and gets slightly boring for those of us that aren't out to win money. But it is a good chance to PR and the event itself is well conceived and directed. I still find the event communication, while abundant and clear, slightly condescending but maybe that's just me. Overall it is a great event to participate in. ”
“Excellent Race Overall!! - This was an excellent race! WOW! Everything was spot on and it was an easy process for anyone. Great communication, bathrooms, support stations, giveaways, coverage...everything was top notch!! Thank you! We will definitely do this again. There was a little glitch in the timing but that was all squared away quickly. ”
“The benchmark for half marathon organisation - The only 'disappointment' was the big 10. In the end it was the big 5 . . . . . I like most others assumed there were 10 cash prizes. Imagine a lucky winner's surprise when they found out they had won the equivalent in medical check-up or entrance fees to more races. It would have been better to make this clearer up front. ”
“A beautiful half marathon to boost your speed! - RAK did it again! Perfect organization in all aspects. Thoroughly enjoyable route with enough support stations to fully concentrate on your run. Rough start as usual due to the crowd and perhaps there could be a line up for runners based on their expected finish time. This would really help! The end of the race is inspiring with your name and nationality being announced. Proud to be the only Ecuadorean there this time around! for some reason only have one photo but the happy feeling is there!”
“Superbly organised event from start to finish - Communication, race pack delivery, seeded start, directions, marshals, water stations on course and at finish line all top class, personalised medals a lovely touch. New route is a lot better than what it used to be, a faultless event that I’ll be definitely back to do again...well done Nathan and to all your team...only suggestion would be to have some music at start and at water stations, it would add to the day”
“Worlds Best Half Marathon - Very Well organised. I have participated in many events in this region and have not witnessed anything as well organised as this one. Right from the pre event communication to the medals and race day execution this was simply brilliant.”
“Very well organized event. - The attention to detail in the organization is tremendous! ”
“Not bad but quite dull course. - Overall, I enjoyed it. Problem for me was the transport: leaving Dubai garden centre at 4.00am was hard and it took forever to get to RAK because the bus went to The Irish Village and then stopped for petrol on the way. Arriving for the race at 6.30 meant everything was rushed. Coming back I got the 11:30 bus and again it stopped for petrol just after leaving RAK (why). Upon arrival in Dubai the driver did not know how to get to IV so drove in circles for ages. Maybe one bus for IV and 1 for DGC”
“Excellent event - The social media support this year was excellent”
“Amazing!!! - My 5th year in this event. Appreciate the event organizers for a well organized race. Thanks to all support staff at every level. The big ten is a hit and hope you come up with these prizes in the coming years too.. Thanks to people in ras al khaimah and all volunteers who have made this year run also a fabulous one.. Request : Can we have personalized medal and awaiting the finish line photos through the link...waiting..”
“Amazing!!! - Great race indeed!”
“Awesome - It has been an amazing experience. The updates in photos and videos is a bit late. ”
“Lovely event! - This is my 10th RAK Marathon and it just gets better. This is the first year I opted for a "preferred start" though I have been eligible on previous years, so the only thing I did not like was mass start runners creeping through the barriers to get forward, otherwise I was very happy”
“Really enjoyed it. Brilliantly organized! - Loved the atmosphere, the energy and the immaculate organization. Wonderful! Just one request: can you please move the start time to 6:30 AM next year? It will make those last 5k's a bit faster in significantly cooler weather. Yes? PS: The BIG TEN is a huge hit. Please make it a permanent feature :)”
“Friendly race - Just wonderful ”
“Had fun today - Well organized, great weather and course”
“Best Running Event in UAE - 10 years has gone, was excellent, the next 10 need to sustain...sure you can do it, u have my support. Teddy ”
“Great morning with lovely friendly people - Smooth organisation. Road blocking for the race and clearing of streets after race was carried out exceptionally well. Great gift pack. Only problem encountered was one tee-shirt wrong size. On my profile for team it mentions medium for team member, but unfortunately on your site it is XL. If some how you could rectify that please. Name is Jenny Watson. Thank you and thank you for such a wonderful event. See you next year. ”
“Fantastic event - Lovely event very very very well organized Couldn't ask for more everything perfect Services 5 star Thx you Cheers ”
“Outstanding and well organised event! - As expected, the race was superbly organised. The showers were a bonus...thank you! Support at the drinks stations were great. Thanks Nathan and your team...first class event. Well done! See you in 2017!!”
“Great event - The cherry on top of this great cake would be jelly beans on the course. ”
“An excellent day to try for a PB - Good effort as usual. The Big Ten needs more thought. Or whatever you do next year.”
“A fantastic event as always! - Had a great time at the RAK half. The whole event is so well organised; parking is nearby, there's plenty of toilets, and results and photographs are delivered incredibly quickly.At the finish it's easy to get water and some sustenance. What more do you need? Loved the way you could personalise the medal this year. Thank you so much to the organisers and all those who helped to support the event...it's well worth the early morning drive and I look forward to doing it all again next year.”
“Amazing event - I suggest to have more photos In start and running and finished race with clear person resolutions. Also I want from organization of RHM to give something for whom had attend many years running with them. It will be nicely from them if we invited on live TV camera before race and telling the world why we run? And the free gift from al futtaim it's was great also. In the end I would to encourage management to give every year random draw number for participate runner not just 10th”
“Good race - Well organised, love the humour "only 21 kms left", nice bag/giveways and great medals. Shame they couldn't turn it into my fastest half marathon, but guess I need to work on that! How come no Super Vets category? ”
“Almost perfect but you can improve the break areas - Thank you for everything guys. ”
“One of THE BEST however.... - Without a doubt - One of the BEST Events to date. Only suggestion - during the prize distribution, a person fainted nearby. There was a VIP Doctor sitting in the Grand Stand who represented RAK Hospital. What shocked me was - he didn't even bother to budge from his comfortable seat. He just watched with indifference while plain clothes volunteers ran to help that man. Speaks a lot about this key sponsor & this man. Please do not have such heartless people sponsor your event.”
“It was an awesome experience - I've love to participate on this event every year. Good job to all the organiser, Marshall and to all the volunteers Thumbs up to all of guys”
“A great day on the run - One of the best organised events I have participated in. Pre race day information absolutely outstanding. Officials really friendly. All being well I will be back in 2017. Thank you for all the organisation and assistance. ”
“A great bevent, thank you - A well organised event - high quality and good fun. However, the 11:00 prizes were not something to repeat in that format. Credit to Saqr Port for their generous cash prizes, but it would have been better to have 10 prizes of AED 5000 or even 5 of AED 10,000 and leave it at that. I felt sorry for the runner who won a free medical at RAK Hospital and (sorry guys) 10,000 of Premier Online credit will only please a dedicated few. Nonetheless, overall, excellent.”
“EXCELLENT - EXCELLENT”
“Superb event, truly the best half globally! - A truly great event marred by the prize giving. It would have been better to give 10 prizes of AED 5k each than the few booby prizes that spoilt the end. AED 10k worth of online checkin...really? AED 10k worth of Hertz to a guy who was a labourer...really? A hospital MOT to a poor labourer who could have really used the cash. It made a great event look cheap, and was not necessary. Look at the profile of a great number of the entrants....cash would have made their year. ”
“Great event. Make the logo larger on the t-shirt - Well done and well organized. Have more port a johns at the start. Make the logo bigger on the shirt and put it on the back. I want people back in the USA to know that I ran such a great race and it is hard to see on the shirt. Volunteers were awesome and the water was cold--overall a 10 across the board...”
“The fastest half, yet friendly - Thumbs up to the organization, the free download of pictures right after the event!”
“Great organization and value for money - The only comment I would have is to re arrange queuing for baggage and certificates. It went through the entire village at stages and made it complicated to find the end or walk past. I did not see the signage for competitive start and there were a few people in the mass start meant to be in competitive start, but were not sure where to go, but that did not affect me. Communication, showers, bathrooms, drinks and supplies were fantastic! Hope to be back next year! ”
“Another great event, (but with a few glitches) - Let's keep this fully in perspective - another really great event, but I had to rate the following down: - Access (clear passage) to the Competitive start was nowhere near as smooth or easy as in previous years - Split timing as originally published was clearly WAY off - What was that event giveaway all about!? LOL As for the "10 for 10" .. hmm. I guess no one had to stay for it! All of that said, the huge positives totally outweigh the glitches, and I look forward to next years race”
“Great event, thank you. - Great event and fantastic marketing and support. Loved the bag and medal with timing stickers. ”
“Great event - Great event. I wish there were more toilets....”
“Awesome!!! - The best running event ever!!!”
“Great event - Excellent organization and km markers!!”
“Great half marathon event - Well organised ”
“Great event just dispointed didnt get photos - Thank you for a good event, just disappointed I did not get my race photos even though they said they sent them and now cant seem to find an e-mail address or phone number to find out about them. Kind Regards Shaun”
“Excellent organization - Ranking should be on net time”
“A good local event but not international level - Participating of all its edition I can tell that not too many things changed from its first edition. It might be a good experience for the elite runners but for me ,a simple runner it's not. The course is boring, poor entertainment ,no fun and free popcorn or water for our kids waiting their parents. Today was no Gatorade at most of the stations and list can go on .More disappointed that some of the staff is Hungarian and still this event is 0 comparing to what they have in Budapest.”
“Wonderful! - I love this event. Though please review a couple of things which were poor this year. Your RAK Bus #4 from Waldorf Astoria, arrived at 5:25 but didn't leave until 5:51 (your communications said it would depart 5:30). We didn't arrive before 6am as I hoped. It was more like 6:30am which made things more frantic than I wanted. I'll rely on taxis next year, unless this is addressed. And the bag drop, and bag pickup took far too long. Especially pickup. But thanks .. it was great overall.”
“The best event in the Region - Any one who does not give this event full marks needs to think again. No event in the world puts the runner first like this event does. Well done to Nathan and his team. ”
“Well organized race. - Cudos to the race director, organizer and all the volunteers! Thank you! Thank you for the well kept restrooms, the personal size bottle water. This germaphobe appreciates this. Thank you for the post race fuel, for the medal, the FREE race pics! and all of the swag I didn't expect. Thanks 4 the well organize & speedy process in the baggage claim area and the fast moving lines when picking up finishers certificates. I'm very pleased with this race and can't say enough wonderful things about it.”
“A must do ! - Great event, good feel all round !”
“A well organised event!! - I first ran this event in 2013 and I am glad I made the trip back!! Great event, well organised. The support and encouragement at the water stations was great. The marketing and event information was informative and great quality. The km markers however would be better if they were the width of road. ”
“Great Experience. Kudos to the Organisers. - Overall a great experience. Enjoyed the scenic course. Suggest water stations should have more sports drinks available. I was able to get some only at the 10km mark.”
“Race Timings - I was text split times during the race which did not make sense at all and were incorrect. Also I had doubts about my final time as it didn't match my personal stopwatch which I started and stopped as I went under the start and finish arches. Other than that I found it to be a very well organised and enjoyable event!”
“The best race I've ever participated - This is the best race I have ever participated. Sufficient parking space, well placed wash room, baggage, S/F line and everything is well executed. Near real time update of the chip timings, streaming allows my family watch me, photos are great, the course is great. Would definitely participate next year. ”
“A well organized, fast half! - Fourth time doing the RAK half; as always, it was well organized, with a good turnout. Would prefer an option to opt-out of the numerous text messages while running or just have the final time sent (since I don't carry my phone and you can see where you are on the route anyway), but that's a minor quibble.”
“Impressed with the arrangements - Event managed well, really enjoyed”
“Well organised event as usual - Enjoyed the race, well setup and organised.”
“Just perfect from beginning to end! - Arrived by car, perfect parking place very close to the start/finish line, signs all over for everything, gentle staff (lots of people working), excellent water station organization, signs on course every km, food/beverages provided at finish line along with towel & medal. Got back to my car and when I picked up my mobile I had several sms with partial and final run time; shortly after an email with a link to pictures of me to download for free... WHAT ELSE CAN YOU ASK FOR? Just PERFECT. Thanks!”
“Excellent organisation great event as always - This is one of my favourite races Organisation always excellent from start to finish ”
“Well managed - Very well organised”
“Amazing event as always - It was an amazing event as always...the only constructive criticism would be the baggage drop, where for an event this popular, with thousands of people, it would be good if they add anotherbooth as well, so the long li e would cut in half. Always a pleasure doing the RAK half marathon, and thanks for another great edition this year. ”